Maria Theresa ruled the Habsburg Empire for 40 years. Her reign began timidly, and she opted to defer to the supposed expertise of the men around her. But it was only when she began to reject the advice of these men, instead trusting her own intuition, that she came into her own as a powerful and capable leader. Today, she’s hailed as the last great Habsburg monarch—but few remember the dark deeds she committed on her path to greatness.